On a day more suited for ducks than golfers at the PGA National OAKS Prague, Jesper Svensson didn’t just weather the storm—he thrived in it, taking the lead with a one-shot margin as we inch closer to the climax of the D+D REAL Czech Masters.
Mother Nature threw a bit of a tantrum, halting play for a hefty three hours, but Svensson, cooler than a polar bear’s toenails, returned to the course unfazed and completed his round with a nifty four-under 68. That puts him at a commanding 16 under par, just a whisker ahead of the pack.
Chasing Svensson’s tail is the Frenchman, David Ravetto, who’s hanging on by a thread after carding a two-under 70, landing him firmly in second.
The English lads—Andrew Johnston, Brandon Robinson-Thompson, and Ross Fisher—along with France’s Adrien Saddier, are lurking behind, tied in third at a respectable 14 under.
Svensson kicked off his Saturday with a bang, smashing his drive on the first right onto the green, rolling a lengthy two-putt for birdie, and adding another birdie from a mere 34 feet at the third.
His front nine was as smooth as a billiard ball, and despite the Gods of Thunder playing their part, he snagged additional birdies at the 11th and 13th after the resumption.
The drama peaked at the 16th, where Svensson’s tee shot wandered off the beaten path.
Yet, with the calm of a seasoned sage, he chipped out onto the fairway and unleashed a 311-yard three-wood that found the heart of the green, setting up a par that felt more like a minor miracle.
Now, Svensson sits at ninth in the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex. A victory here, on this blustery Prague stage, could vault him to an impressive second place, nudging him closer to that coveted PGA TOUR card.
Jesper Svensson: “Just great to be in a good position for tomorrow. I didn’t really think about it but managed to stay away from bogeys today, again struck the ball nicely but hopefully the putter’s a bit hotter tomorrow.
“It would be something else. There is still a lot of golf to be played but yeah, that would be nice.”
With the forecast promising more gusts and downpours for Sunday, the final act of the D+D REAL Czech Masters will see a two-tee start bright and early at 9:00 AM local time.
If Svensson can keep his cool like he’s done thus far, he might just walk away with more than just a trophy—he could very well secure his future among golf’s elite.
